23 July 2007
Award for top designer
Heatherwick back at MMU
THOMAS Heatherwick, one of the UK's leading designers and creator of B of the Bang, has been honoured by his alma mater Manchester Metropolitan University (MMU).
The 36-year-old, hailed by Sir Terence Conran as "the new Leonardo" for his ingenious fusion of art and engineering, was made an Honorary Doctor of Arts on July 21.
Last year Thomas, a graduate of MMU's School of Design, won the prestigious Prince Philip Prize, the industry's equivalent of the Oscars beating well-established names such as Richard Rogers and Lucienne Day.
London-born Heatherwick's creations are brave and often awe-inspiring*, like Manchester's 'B of the Bang' Britain's largest sculpture www.bofthebang.com, the somersaulting Rolling Bridge in Paddington Basin, and the "floating" staircase at the Longchamp's store in New York City.
Outstanding undergraduate
As an undergraduate at MMU in the nineties, Thomas was producing impressive designs and showing commercial acumen, raising £35,000 in sponsorship money to build a pavilion in a Sussex park, and got his big break shortly after graduation when Conran commissioned Thomas to build a gazebo for his back garden.
Professor David Crow, Head of MMU's School of Design, said: "Thomas was outstanding as an undergraduate and has pursued a brilliant career. This degree recognises his verve, intellect, ambition and technical brilliance. He is an outstanding artist and potentially one of the great British designers of modern times."
Thomas studied three dimensional design at MMU and later at the Royal College of Art, winning several prizes.
He founded the Heatherwick Studio in 1994 with the aim of bringing "architecture, design and sculpture together within a single practice".
Royal Designer
Heatherwick is a fellow of the Royal Academy and was recently chosen to become a Royal Designer for Industry. He has served on numerous judging and advisory panels and has given talks to RIBA and the Royal Academy.
Collecting his degree along with hundreds of MMU Art & Design students at the Bridgewater Hall, Manchester on July 21, Thomas said: "It's a real honour to receive this award from my former university. It's always fantastic to be back in Manchester."
